This invention relates to clamping means, and to modules and units including clamping means.
Various arrangements are used to dissipate the heat produced by electronic modules mounted in a housing. In one such arrangement the modules include a heat-conducting frame, such as of metal, which is in good thermal contact with the heat-generating components in the module. The housing is provided with heat-dissipating walls which may be actively cooled by a coolant fluid, or by an air blower, or may simply have a large thermal capacity. The frame of the module is clamped in good thermal contact with the heat-dissipating walls so that heat generated by the module is conducted away through the frame to the walls of the housing.
One arrangement for achieving this clamping uses two jackscrews on opposite sides of the module which are screwed into the housing to retain the module in position. Each jackscrew carries two wedges with opposed inclined surfaces that are urged laterally away from one another when the jackscrew is tightened, such as to force the frame of the module into contact with the wall of the housing.
Such clamping arrangements suffer from the disadvantage that the clamping effect is relatively localised and good thermal contact is not achieved along the entire length of the module.